Choporoz

Third sentence in OP was as far as I needed to read. TDs shouldn't fish tournaments they make rules for and/or judge. Yes, I know it can be done and done well, but even the most upstanding TD opens themselves to questions when they fish.

They are not far. When prefishing, a creek with bait and no bass may well be better than a creek with bass, but little bait.

Went through the same for several years... around 2015-2022. Lived in Northern VA. Wanted waterfront, no colder than Mid-Atlantic.... and not much warmer. Spent long weekends with kayaks across eastern TN, VA, NC, ..and briefly checked out some PA and MD. Settled on Dandridge TN. But in the intervening years between decision and action, proximity to growing number of grandchildren became a higher priority than it had been. Changed decision to north-central NC and couldn't be happier. Bought house 3 years ago intending to rent it out until my retirement this year, but my wife decided she was through with Northern VA, so I've been splitting time, making the 4hr drive every weekend. I'll be there full time by end of the year. I'm really really happy to be living on the lake. Being able to walk out the back door and be on the water in minutes is amazing.

I would not even consider visibility as one of the variables to consider in this discussion. Buoyancy, stretch, strength, durability, manageability....maybe....visibility....not so much I really like 12# fluoro for a lot of things. But spooks and poppers aren't among them

I suspect this is an underrated comment. I don't think this gets talked about enough. When I am seen catching, I am always asked "what are you using".... once in a blue moon, whether they are hitting moving baits. I am more likely to want to know whether they are feeding up or feeding down

250 for a Helium today! With a free Argon tossed in. I don't have an Argon, so can't make recommendation on that. But, I do have five Heliums.

You didn't break a rod. You crafted a spider web removal tool

7" Rage Tail Thumper. They aren't regularly better than Rage Bug or CutR. But when they are, it can be dramatic. Culprit is probably closest substitute; quite a bit different tho

Biggest price influencer for us is typically the yen rate. If you find someone that can predict exchange rate, please let me know. Manufacture and distribution costs are not going to go down.

A couple years ago when shopping for a utility side by side, I'd decided on Honda. Only local dealer was Kawasaki, so I ended up with a Mule and could not be happier with it. There are faster UTV's, more rugged UTVs, more comfortable UTVs... but that Mule is very good in all respects.

I don't have a clue where the hook point is going to contact. If it is the thin area just inside the lips, it doesn't matter much. If it is in the roof or a bit back on the bottom of the mouth, even a light wire needs a bit of force. A hookset that doesn't to the get the barb means more lost fish. I have prioritized hook setting.

Loved Sunline Flipping FC, but it seems to be discontinued. I am going back to Abrasx.

Not me....but I shop at Kohls, too

Agreed. I use fluoro and 40# braid pretty much interchangeably for spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Only drawback to braid for me is certain baits plus a bit of wind cause some fouled casts.

Spook across the top. Spoons dropped straight through...let it go all the way to the bottom. Unless bass are busting the surface, I won't spend much time, though.

Good point. As long as you compost, the disposal is not worth the risk/cost, even with sewer. The ice maker is absolutely not worth the cost, risks and headaches... to me. Unfortunately, like @islandbass, shutting it down or going without isn't my call.

Truly beautiful fish

@J Francho, that sounds good. I got on an accidental perch bite Saturday; a couple in 13-14 inch range. Was in my Hobie wishing I had a stringer and cooler. The folks who can't comprehend how anyone can enjoy fishing are the most incredulous when I tell them I throw 'em back... like 'Why are you even out there, then?'

Maybe their customer service center/call center is in TN, NC, SC, or FL and affected by Helene.

I use both fluoro and braid. No strong preference. However, when using braid, I use 40# almost exclusively. I am just way too good at getting 20# stuck in split rings.

👍👍

According to Wiki Hastings page, the town was all about ammunition, cigars, bricks and Kool-aid. Lol. All of which have been known to cause death. May have been a grim place. Lol

Thanks, Mike. I don't have a lot of data, but I seem to have more helicopter-cast tangles with closed ties, but it could well be a function of other aspects of the configurations. A lot more variables involved (in how wind and drag affect flight) than I ever really considered before.

Tons of threads and articles available here on BR. I, too, like spinnerbaits. But I caution you to temper your excitement just a tad....if only to manage expectations. There's always a few days in the early fall (and in spring) when you cannot keep them off a spinnerbait. The other 350 days of the year, you can catch on them, but you may need to be bumping, dragging, yo-yo-ing, or something else besides chucking and winding. Me: primarily 1/2 oz or heavier; usually with some chartreuse in the skirt; no trailer, no trailer hook. Play with variety of blades and blade sizes to see how they act for you

Another question... why does one spinnerbait have closed lie tie, and the other is open? Just curious. I don't have a strong preference, but tend to have better success with open when using braid.